Stolen Moments
by jenpall
Summary: One-shot: "Perfect-ward" and his Bella have a good life and he only wants to make it better.


**a/n: This is a one-shot I have been playing with off and on over the last year... I'm finally good with it... let me know what you think ;0)**

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I'm staring blankly at my laptop screen. I need to finish the last of my book in 10,000 words and it's just not coming. I know where my characters are supposed to go, but I can't force myself to type the words. Hell, I can't bring myself to type _any_ words. I push my cushy, leather office chair away from my desk and set my laptop on my thighs, kicking my bare legs up onto the solid cherry desk and crossing my legs at the ankles and stare at the picture of my family on the background of the screen.

It's one of my favorites. Edward has one arm wrapped around our little brown-haired angel, Katie, while she is sitting on her swing in the backyard. They both are giggling happily as Katie leans into her father's side. Edward's other hand is resting on the top of our little boy, Garrett's russet hair. Garrett's chubby cherub cheek is pressed against Edward's jean-clad thigh and he's smiling a sweet, gummy smile at me who is, as always, hiding behind the camera. Somehow I managed to catch this moment of utter joy in what ended up being a brief visit by their father.

I can't help but sigh at our life that is made up of so few stolen moments.

Edward and I met and fell in love right before we graduated from college and married quickly that fall. We both knew that our careers were going to be very important to one another and we were both more than willing to make allowances for the crazy hours we would have to maintain to get where each of us wanted to go. And hopefully, we would get there together, with each other's support.

Edward was lucky enough to find a job at an amazing, bi-coastal architectural firm where, with his stunning good looks, easy charm and brilliant design instincts, he was able to move his way up through the ranks very quickly and now, after seven years was on the verge of being asked to become a partner.

I had already published several short-stories and one novel by the time I had graduated from college and my career was already on the rise. My success allowed me to be there for Edward whenever he needed me. If we needed to go to a late dinner with his boss, I was always ready. If he needed to travel to the other office in New York City, me and my trusty lap-top could travel with him.

To say that Edward and I were completely wrapped up in each other would be a gross understatement. On the weekends, we would stay up all night making love and talking and then sleep in until the afternoon the next day. Some weekends we wouldn't even leave our bedroom until Monday morning when Edward finally had to return to work.

Shortly before our one-year anniversary, I found out I was pregnant with Katie. She wasn't planned, but Edward and I both were both ecstatic about becoming parents. Edward tried to be at most of my Doctor appointments. He squeezed my hand and sweetly kissed the tip of my nose the first time we heard her heart-beat. When we learned we were having a little girl, Edward shook his head in disbelief and braced himself against the wall to keep from passing out. The sonogram technician and I got quite a laugh at Edward's melodramatic reaction.

Edward still worked long hours and traveled until the last month of my pregnancy, when he was allowed to take a little more time for us. Edward was there when Katie was born and there again, three years later when our son Garrett was born. But, in the mean-time, he continued to work hard constantly telling me that once he made partner he could slow down and this will all be worth it. And I bought into that way of thinking hook, line and sinker. And for the last two years I have worked from home while Edward split his time between Seattle and New York City.

Don't get me wrong, I have help and my schedule is still completely up to me. We have a full-time housekeeper that not only cleans, but helps prepare most weekday meals as well. My mother-in-law, Esme, takes Garrett two days a week and I have a mother's helper that is here from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon the other three weekdays. On the weekends, it's just me and the kids… and occasionally Edward.

At least that's how it seems lately…

He showed up out of the clear blue tonight. I was in the kitchen making the kids supper plates, when Garrett let out an ear-piercing screech startling me in the process and nearly making me drop their plates onto the slate tile floor. I sat the plates on the counter and quickly spun around to see what in the world could have excited him and came face to face with a deep, blue pin-striped button down shirt. I immediately screamed (not having heard said shirt enter the kitchen) and almost crawled up onto the counter completely mortified that someone else was in the kitchen. Especially, when it was Friday night and Edward wasn't due home from New York City until Monday.

But, before I realized it was Edward that was standing in front of me, the kids began laughing hysterically at my gross over-reaction and I managed to knock their plates off of the counter and onto the floor anyway.

"Edward," I half-sigh, half-groan. I'm trying to calm my startled heart and relax when I look into his smiling green eyes.

"I'm sorry, Baby," he says contritely, trying to conceal his amusement behind his sexy as hell half-grin.

I shake my head, slightly frustrated, and begin to kneel down to pick up the kids' supper off of the floor. But, Edward reaches out and places his hands on my shoulders, successfully keeping me from moving. He takes a step closer to me and then pulls me into his warm chest and enfolds me in his warm arms. He kisses the top of my head and murmurs, "I'm sorry I didn't let you know I was coming home early… I just wanted to surprise you and the kids." With his apology I melt further into his embrace and I can't help but feel happy that he's here with us.

"Well, you definitely surprised me," I joke into his shirt. I pull back a bit and look up at his handsome chiseled face. His scruffy five o'clock shadow and the slight dark circles under his eyes make him look tired. I reach up with my hands and cradle his face, loving the way he nestles his head further into my palms. "You look tired," I tell him as I smile up at him.

"I am," he gives me his crooked, lazy smile that still turns my insides into goo and then quickly leans in and places a soft kiss on my lips. My hands wrap around his neck, trying to keep him close to me. He easily fills the small gap between us and I feel a pleasant jolt of excitement when his body becomes flush with mine.

I go to deepen the kiss when we are rudely interrupted by the small force of nature that is our daughter wrapping herself around both of our legs while trying to wedge her tiny body in between us.

"Daddy, when you're done kissing Mommy, come and eat dinner with us!" She commands.

Edward and I both laugh and look down at our girl. "Alright, Angel, let me change clothes and I will eat with you guys." Katie beams up at her father. He kisses the tip of my nose and then immediately picks her up and begins tickling her as he makes their way back to the kitchen table.

I begin to pick up the mess on the floor and Edward takes a minute to tickle Garrett. He kisses our baby boys head and ruffles his hair as he walks back over to me.

I scrape the wasted food into the garbage can and Edward comes to stand by me. I look over at him and offer him a smile and he smiles back. "You know what?" he begins. I shake my head no. "Why don't you go sit and eat with the kids and I will make all of you plates."

I immediately can't help but wonder what is going on with my husband. "Ummm, okay," I answer quietly. I walk over and take the chair next to Garrett and wink at Katie. Edward makes the kids their plates and then sets it before them on the table. He immediately heads back to the counter, only to return with my plate almost instantly.

He kisses the top of my head and then tells me, "I'll be right back." He spins on his heel and almost runs out of the kitchen to the stairs, heading up to our bedroom to change.

I ask Katie about her day at school and she asks, "Can't I wait 'til Daddy comes back?"

"Sure," I sigh and begin picking at the chicken on my plate. I'm hungry, but I don't feel like eating. As happy as I am to have Edward home, I'm just as curious as to why he was able to come home. He seems very happy right now. I can't help but wonder if something positive has happened with his promotion. But, before I can get too entrenched in my thoughts Edward reappears in the kitchen, barefoot and wearing a pair of black track pants and a white t-shirt. When I look up he smiles at me and heads over to make his own plate. He returns to the table and takes the seat across from me, between Katie and Garrett.

Katie immediately launches into a story about how she doesn't like the schools chicken nuggets and that "Mommy's are better," making me smile. She tells Edward how she had defended her friend, Tanya, from a mean little boy named Felix on the playground at recess. Edward laughs when she tells him how she kicked the boy in the shin and then proceeded to get him in trouble with her teacher.

I try to tell her to get her teacher involved before she resorts to violence next time, but it falls on deaf ears. Katie and Edward are beaming at one another and I realize that there's no point.

Once we finish eating, Edward follows me and the kids upstairs to help me bathe the kids before bed. We let Katie and Garrett play in the tub for a few minutes. I take a seat on the floor in front of the tub and Edward sits down on the closed lid of the toilet that stands next to the tub. Edward begins to tell me how he's finished his latest project and how the client absolutely loved his design. He's smiling like the cat that ate the canary and he says, "Aro asked me…"

_Splash… Giggle… Splash…_

I'm instantly drenched. While talking and focusing on Edward I somehow managed to NOT see that my two-year old had been splashing his sister with a cup. Garrett found it so funny that he decided that it would be even funnier to splash Mommy.

I turn to Garrett and smile, "You little stinker," I tease as I get up onto my knees to splash him back. He giggles more and then Katie gets in on the act and splashes Edward. Edward joins the fun and splashes Katie, then Garrett and then finally me. When we are finished it seems like there is more water on the tiled bathroom floor than there is in the tub.

Edward and I get the kids out of the tub and take them to their rooms. I take Garret to his room, get him diapered and dressed in his pajamas, kiss him and hug him and then lay him down in his crib for the night. I flip the light-switch off and walk across the hall to Katie's room.

Her light is still on and I look over to Katie's bed to see Edward and Katie asleep on the bed. Edward is lying on his back with Katie resting her head on his chest while lying in the crook of his arm and a book is lying across Edward's stomach.

I can't help but smile at such a sweet sight.

I shut off the light and head downstairs to straighten up the kitchen before I start working. I pass the bathroom and pause for a moment at the door, contemplating cleaning up the watery mess. I decide to throw a couple of towels down on the floor and worry about it in the morning.

The kitchen cleans up in a matter of minutes and I find myself sitting in my office re-reading the last chapter of my latest book. I sigh, knowing that this last chapter should be all resolution but not feeling like I'm ready to be done with these characters. Maybe I should call my editor and my agent and explain. But I can't do that until the morning. I decide to try and write something… _anything_.

But, it just doesn't come.

I prop my feet up and relax back into my chair. I go over where I would like to take my characters and compare that with where they are _supposed _to go and decide it's really not that far apart. But, I do have enough ideas to write a sequel. That idea excites me and I begin typing the new ending.

My feet begin to fall asleep from being propped up, so I ease them back to the floor and set my laptop back on the desk. The unmistakable shooting pains of pins and needles surge through my feet and up my calves. I try to wiggle my toes and groan aloud waiting for the blood to return to my digits.

"I should be the only thing that makes you groan like that," Edward says quietly from behind me, effectively scaring me half to death… again.

I twist my chair around to face him and shoot him a faux dirty look, "What's with you scaring the crap out of me tonight?"

He's leaning against the frame of the door with his arms crossed over his chest looking sexy as hell. His coppery brown hair is in complete disarray. He's not smiling, but his face is at complete ease. His track pants have slid low onto his hips and the right side of his plain white t-shirt is hitched up just enough to see the dangerous V that starts at his hip and leads down to…

I unconsciously lick my bottom lip and Edward clears his throat. My eyes snap back to his. He's grinning at me now and his vivid green eyes are full of fire. "Did you miss me, Love?" he teases.

I feel my body heat and flush. It starts in the pit of my stomach and quickly spreads up to my chest and down between my legs. My face feels like it's on fire and all I can do is utter a weak, "mmmhmmm".

Edward pushes off the door-frame grumbling something about, "that fucking blush," and comes to stand directly in front of me. He leans down grabbing the arms of my chair in each of his hands and kisses me passionately. He pulls back slightly and smiles down at me, "I've missed you, too." He gives me a chaste peck on the lips and then quickly spins my chair around so that I am facing my desk. Edward plops down on the floor and sits with his back against the drawers of the desk and pulls my right foot into his lap and begins gently rubbing the arch of my foot. I groan at the delicious sensation of his warm hands massaging away my aches. We smile at one another, both enjoying this quiet moment.

When Edward has finished thoroughly relaxing my right foot he sets it gently on his lap and then pulls my left into his strong hands and begins massaging. "I have some news," he says quietly, bringing me out of my massage induced haze.

"About?" I ask trying to play coy, but hoping inside that it's about his promotion.

"Well, Aro called me home early today to offer me the partnership," Edward answers nonchalantly.

"Really?" I squeal, pitching myself forward in my chair.

"Yes," he smiles widely, "But, there are some things we need to talk about before I accept," he adds quietly.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," I sigh.

"There's only one issue really…," Edward adds.

"Alright, let me hear it," I encourage.

"We will have to move…" he pauses for a moment before adding, "… to New York." He braces himself waiting for my reaction.

"To New York?" I ask plopping back into my comfy chair and then Edward nods. "Why?"

Edward visibly relaxes and begins, "Over the last few years I have created quite a client base out there and Aro wants me to be able to personally over-see the projects there. And being partner, I have to be able to be _there_."

"There's no way you can make partner and stay here?" I ask.

"No, not in the immediate, foreseeable future," Edward answers quickly and then goes into explaining that most of the Senior Officers of the company live in Seattle and it would take years, if ever, for the same opportunity to come up if we stayed in Washington.

I pause for a moment trying to take it all in; beginning to weigh the pros and cons of such a big move. I can do my job anywhere, so that's not a problem. Katie's in kindergarten, so that's not too big of a move. Edward's younger brother, Jasper, lives in Manhattan, so we would get to see him more. The only issue really is Edward's parents still being here in Washington.

"And you _ARE _going to be home more?" I ask skeptically.

Edward smiles ear-to-ear and says, "Yes."

"You can promise me that?"

"Yes," he chuckles.

"Well, you're going to have to break it to your parents and we need to start house hunting ASAP," I tell him trying, and failing, to hide my own excited grin.

Edward comes up to his knees and pulls my chair directly in front of him. He gently places his hands on either side of my face and then leans in to kiss me. He takes his time and caresses my lips with his own. He eventually begins trailing kisses down to my jaw and back to my ear. He breathes gently into my ear and then whispers, "I love you."

"Oh, Edward, I love you, too," I sigh into his hair.

He resumes kissing his way down the column of my neck. He trails his tongue around to the hollow of my throat and then leans back onto his heels. His hands come to the hem of my camisole as he tells me, "Lean forward." I lean towards him a bit and allow him to raise the delicate tank over my head. His mouth quickly comes back to my body, this time beginning with my collar bone. He kisses out towards my shoulder and then he slowly makes his way down to my breast. He places lingering, wet kisses on the top of my breast as one of his hands gently engulfs my other in warmth. Edward takes his time worshipping each breast while I wrap my legs around his waist and shamelessly grind myself against whatever part of him I can reach.

When he finally has me groaning and panting, and on the verge of orgasm, Edward stands abruptly, yanks me up from my chair and sets me up on my desk. "Lift," he whispers as he pulls my panties down my legs, while somehow managing to kick his way out of his sweats. He pulls me forward so that I'm literally on the edge of my desk.

All the while, he's looking into my eyes… his beautiful green eyes burning into mine… He's home… I'm home…

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**a/n: so what did you think of my Perfect-ward? I think he's just completely yummy...**

**Anyone going to see Magic Mike this weekend? Me and my girls are definitely going!**


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